By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
The United Nations advised President-elect Lee Myung-bak to reinstate the National Human Rights Commission (NHRCK) as an independent organization rather than a presidential committee.
Louise Arbour, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, sent a letter to Lee Kyung-sook, chairperson of the presidential transition team, urging for reconsideration saying that the placement could ``negatively influence the international standing of the NHRCK, and could erode its national position.''
While praising the commission as an internationally highly regarded institution, she said the repositioning will ``impact on public perceptions of its independence and compliance with the internationally accepted benchmarks for the Paris Principles.''
She also said this could affect the NHRCK's accreditation with the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Korea's reputation in the international human rights system.
Her statement was made after Lee's team decided to place the commission under the President.
In fact, Lee Myung-bak's decision has drawn strong domestic resistance, too. Rep. Shim Sang-jeung of Democratic Labor Party said the transition committee's decision is ``ridiculous.'' Civic groups also expressed concerns that the commission's decisions were influenced by the government when it should be completely free of any political powers.
Prof. Kwak No-hyun of the Korea National Open University said NHRCK governed by the president is ``dead.'' ``Who likely to go against the president or the political powers?'' he said.
However, the President-elect showed no signs of reconsideration.
Presidential committee member Park Hyung-joon said Sunday that the independence of the commission would be guaranteed. ``It was to clarify the belongings of the commission not to regulate it,'' he said.
However, he indicated some reform on the NHRCK. ``When we say independence it means the commission will be have independence in performing its tasks, not that they will have total freedom without having to take responsibility,'' he added.
The NHRCK was established in 2001 as an independent commission with the aim of improving the human rights status in Korea through civic groups and the government. It has advised both governmental and non-governmental organizations over human rights infringement or discrimination. It has given advice in 1,100 individual cases, of which 1,000 were given to governmental agencies.